Monday, 18 April 2016

Warfarin is
an anticoagulant drug. It can help prevent blood clots from forming in the
blood vessels.

Warfarin is given to people :

with deep vein thrombosis (blood clots in the veins of the legs)

with pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lungs)

with a condition that increases the risk of a blood clot developing, such as atrial fibrillation

with a prosthetic (replacement or mechanical) heart valve

who have had a heart attack

People taking
warfarin need blood tests every 4–8 weeks. If the blood tests show that
warfarin is not working properly, then a different dose will be needed. If
people just starting to take warfarin, blood tests may be needed more
frequently until the INR (International Normalised Ratio) becomes stable.

The blood needs vitamin K to be
able to clot. Warfarin slows the production of vitamin K in the body, which
increases the time it takes for your blood to clot. Warfarin helps your blood
to flow freely around your body and stops any clots forming in the heart or in
the blood vessels.

Warfarin
reduces the ability of your blood to clot. This means you have to be careful
when doing exercise. Even minor injuries or small knocks could result in bleeding
or bruising.

Other
medicines you may be taking may affect how your warfarin works. This includes alcohol,
medicines bought without a prescription and herbal medicines.

Because
vitamin K and warfarin tend to work against each other, it is important to be
aware that changes in diet can have an impact on warfarin activity within the
liver. As vitamin K is essential for a healthy diet you should not try and
eliminate vitamin K from your food intake. It has actually been suggested that
people with more vitamin K in their diets may find it easier to keep their INR
within their ‘target range’ than people with a lower vitamin K intake. Aim to
balance your vitamin K intake by being consistent with the foods that you eat.

High amounts
of Vitamin K are generally found in green leafy vegetables, such as spinach,
broccoli, Brussel sprouts, parsley, silverbeet, endive and kale.

Drinking
large amounts of cranberry and grapefruit
juice may increase the risk of bleeding in some people taking warfarin.
However, drinking 250 ml (1 cup) or less of the juice is unlikely to affect
your INR or pose any risk of bleeding.Smoking, in
general, increases the risk of blood clot formation, causes or worsens other
health conditions, and should be discouraged.

Warfarin and painkillers :

do not take aspirin or drugs that contain aspirin because this could lead to bleeding

do not take ibuprofen

you can take paracetamol but do not take more than the recommended dose

You might
find useful a Medical band, if you are taking Warfarin. It is a simple solution
to communicate critical information when you can´t.

Pregnancy and Warfarin

Warfarin
passes from mother to baby across the placenta and can interfere with normal
blood clotting in the baby. Warfarin can also interfere with the formation of bone
and cartilage in the developing embryo. These effects on blood clotting and
embryo development can lead to birth defects and other problems. A woman who
becomes pregnant or plans to become pregnant while on warfarin therapy should
notify her healthcare provider immediately. Heparin, another anticoagulant,
does not cross the placenta from mother to baby and is usually used instead of
warfarin during pregnancy. Warfarin can be restarted after delivery.

Breastfeeding and Warfarin

Although
warfarin does not pass into breast milk, a woman who wishes to breastfeed while
taking warfarin should consult her healthcare provider. Warfarin is considered
safe for use in women who breastfeed.

Contraception and Warfarin

If you are
taking warfarin, you should avoid all estrogen-based forms of contraception,
such as oral contraceptive pills and products. Oral contraceptives reduces
effect of warfarin and must be avoid in thromboembolic disorders.

Warning: Health information and the names of the drugs mentioned in the article are only for orientation in the field of self-medication and does not replace communication with your doctor. Before taking any medication, read the leaflet or ask your pharmacist or doctor. The author is not responsible for misinterpretation of the information contained on the website and is not responsible for any damages incurred subsequent procedures or conduct that are made based on the content of these pages. By entering this blog you confirm that you have read the aim and the restrictions of the site.

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Warning:

Health information and the names of the drugs mentioned in the articles are only for orientation in the field of self-medication and does not replace communication with your doctor. Before taking any medication, read the leaflet or ask your pharmacist or doctor. The author is not responsible for misinterpretation of the information contained on the website and is not responsible for any damages incurred subsequent procedures or conduct that are made based on the content of these pages. By entering this blog you confirm that you have read the aim and the restrictions of the site.